PSP: one year on

[Ady]

[gimmicks]Ady, can you point me to the part in this PSP thread where that was brought up? I can't find it.

It is a generally held view. You know that. The fact that it hasn't explicitly been mentioned in this particular thread is of no relevance as far as my question (which you did not answer, but still felt the need to comment on) is concerned.

[Dogg Thang]

But the relevance of the question in the first place is what I was actually curious about. It's entirely one thing to question the uses of the multimedia features of the PSP (as you can see, for a large part I agree with you). It's entirely different to start defending the view that the DS is gimmick-based in a thread that is about the PSP, in which at no point was that accusation made. I was wondering, firstly, if I had missed something. If I hadn't (as appears to be the case), I'm not going to get into it because you would be simply baiting a PSP vs DS row, something we have plenty of.

[Il Postino]

Frank Sidebottom.

Any other fan club members on here?

A fan club? Where do you sign up?

There's only one referee!

I can't stand football myself, but I did like Frank and that pesky Little Frank. Also what's this Mark Radcliffe nonsense you're spouting Darwock? Frank's a real person, I met him at the 1987(?) Royal Tournament.


Back on topic, that PSP eh? I've got a black one and a white one (insert crap, you should see a Doctor, gag here) and I really need to get round to selling one of them, because having two is just idiotic. As for my opinions after a year?

Well, I still tinker about with the five games I own, but the machine really could do with a few more decent titles. Saying that, there a quite a few forthcoming releases that have caught my attention, so hopefully 2006 will be a better year for the system, we shall see.

Hey, I never said this post was going to be interesting, okay?

[Ady]

But the relevance of the question in the first place is what I was actually curious about. It's entirely one thing to question the uses of the multimedia features of the PSP (as you can see, for a large part I agree with you). It's entirely different to start defending the view that the DS is gimmick-based in a thread that is about the PSP, in which at no point was that accusation made. I was wondering, firstly, if I had missed something. If I hadn't (as appears to be the case), I'm not going to get into it because you would be simply baiting a PSP vs DS row, something we have plenty of.

You really have a B in your bonnet about this 'PSP vs DS' thing don't you? There's no such row in this topic mate, only in your head.

Anyway, I don't appreciate your implication that I was trying to start such a debate as the DS was brought into this thread L-O-N-G before I made any contributions (if you want to police anyone, find the person who first soiled this thread with the dreaded 'D' word, not me...).

As for the relevance of my question, as I said in my original post, it was an aside. So, whilst it wasn't entirely germane to the topic as a whole, it was still relevant inasmuch as both machines were already being discussed (unless of course you're suggesting that nobody should ever raise new points in threads).

[Dogg Thang]

Yep I do indeed Ady. A year of not being able to discuss the PSP without someone rushing in to defend the DS and vice versa will do that to a guy. I'm not even going to go into it any further as I'm actually guilty of making far worse here and I shouldn't have done that. All I'll say is read your wording again and try to see what I saw. If you don't, fair enough - I'll let it go.

[mid]

I didn't think an accusation that the DS was gimmick-based had even been made, just that some of the games were just as unsuitable to play on public transport as the PSP games that I criticised.

Anyway, I'm now going to look like a completely fickle person, because if the price drops a bit (I don't pay that much for any console) I'd rather like one for portable OutRun 2.

Which, with only about 5 minutes or so to race from start to finish, is just great for the purposes of snatching a quick game here or there.

[Ady]

That'd tempt me too, tbh!

[Dogg Thang]

I'd rather like one for portable OutRun 2.

Which, with only about 5 minutes or so to race from start to finish, is just great for the purposes of snatching a quick game here or there.

I have to admit to not having played Outrun 2 but I'm curious as to why this might be different to playing five minutes of Ridge Racer or another racer, as in more suited to the PSP? Ridge Racer even goes so far as to let you input how much playing time you have and it will construct a league around that.

[MikeRox]

tbh, having had my PSP oooh what 3-4 weeks now, I have to say that other than Ridge Racer, non of the other games (Liberty City Stories, Wipeout, Star Soldier, Lumines) really grabbed my attention, I've utterly cained Ridge Racer, but now I've finished it I've not touched my PSP since and tbh, I'd prolly be selling it if it weren't for the fact that Initial D is out in Feb and truth be told thats the main reason I bought the cosnole.

At least my DS can tide me over til that comes out, just like the PSP tided me over til Mario Kart

[rmoxon]

I have to admit to not having played Outrun 2 but I'm curious as to why this might be different to playing five minutes of Ridge Racer or another racer, as in more suited to the PSP? Ridge Racer even goes so far as to let you input how much playing time you have and it will construct a league around that.

Outrun 2 is an arcade game, and so you can complete it in about 5 minutes, think thats what he meant. It also has loads of extra mini challenges that are ideal for gaming on the go, or on the toilet... or wherever you use your PSP.

[Dogg Thang]

That would not be unlike Ridge Racer then. In terms of getting a racer to work on a handheld, that really works fantastically in my opinion. Some of the others, like Burnout, were certainly enjoyable but really lost detail on the small screen that made it tough to play - especially when it came to ongoing traffic. RR really optimised everything to look as good as possible at that size. Wipeout Pure did too and I love it totally but it does have the problem, for me, that it demands such perfection that your concentration has to be 100%, difficult sometimes on the go.

On the go or not, I do wish other racers added that custom league based on time. That was one of the best features I've seen in a game in a long time.

[rmoxon]

Huh?? How would you complete Ridge Racer in 5 minutes? I agree it works great as a handheld game, and yes it looks great but the way its put together isn't anything like Outrun 2 at all. Ridge Racer is all about unlocking things. Outrun 2 is about having a quick blast and beating your best time.

And I don't think Wipeout Pure works that well on a handheld, I have it, but haven't managed to get into it properly so far.

[Dogg Thang]

You don't complete the whole game in five minutes. To be honest, if I did, I'd feel well ripped off. You can have five minute races and beat your time, just as you can in Outrun2. Offering more to do does not remove that feature you know. The game is "about" whatever you want - single races, time trials, tours, whatever.

[rmoxon]

You don't complete the whole game in five minutes. To be honest, if I did, I'd feel well ripped off. You can have five minute races and beat your time, just as you can in Outrun2. Offering more to do does not remove that feature you know. The game is "about" whatever you want - single races, time trials, tours, whatever.

Well Outrun 2 has different routes, but whichever one you decide to do, you still get the ending credits pop up when you get to the end. So I call that completed and that dosent happen in Ridge Racer becuase you have to finish 30 odd tours to see the end credits then theres loads more to do afterwards. Anyway sure you can beat you old times and stuff, but the aim of the game is still to unlock more tours that voice even says so in the introduction. Anyway I still feel they are very different beasts, Ridge racer is really addictive with all the unlocking, but is actually quite easy but massive, Outrun is very hard to master and it only has one track really.

[EvilBoris]

One of the best features of the PSP was the Time Vortex chip. It allows for the console to sit in limbo for almost a year and for no one to notice that the only good games came out on its launch.